W. Volleyball. Ciara Richards Signs with Auburn Volleyball

Nov. 28, 2011

@AUVolleyball on Twitter | Auburn Volleyball on Facebook

AUBURN, Ala. - The Auburn volleyball team signed Ciara Richards of Palm Springs, Calif., to a National Letter of Intent during the November early signing period, Head Coach Rick Nold announced Monday.

Richards, a 5-9 setter from Palm Springs High School, was a three-year letterwinner for the Indians. She was a first-team All-CIF selection in 2010 and helped her team to three consecutive Desert Valley League titles from 2009 to 2011. In addition, her team was a CIF semifinalist all three seasons.

"When I saw Auburn, I was blown away," Richards told The Desert Sun. "The campus is big, the academics are really good and they treat the athletes really well. I loved the coaches, the girls and they told me when I commit they wanted it to be in a creative way."

She put her creativity to use when she informed Nold and his staff she would be attending Auburn. She used washable blue and orange chalk paint to draw the "AU" logo on the shell of her 8-year-old, 210-pound pet African desert tortoise named Bo.

"We are really excited to welcome Ciara to the Auburn family," Nold said. "We feel that she will be a great fit for our system, and I expect her to make an immediate impact on our program."

In her high school career, Richards recorded 333 kills, 800 assists, 90 aces, 53 blocks and 333 digs.

She also helped her club team, Rancho Valley 18 Premier, to the Las Vegas Classic title and the Southern Californ! ia Volle yball Association regional title in 2011.

Ciara Richards committed to Auburn by painting the "AU" logo on her pet turtle, Bo.